The Michigan State women’s soccer team wrapped up the regular season on a high, beating Nebraska 1-0. With 24 points, the Spartans secured the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten tournament, just two points behind No. 1 Washington. 

The lone goal was scored by redshirt junior midfielder Emerson Sargeant — her career-best fifth of the season — with an assist from junior forward Kennedy Bell. Freshman goalkeeper Noelle Henning made four saves, including a penalty kick, to preserve the clean sheet. The final match of the regular season highlighted the players who stood out all year, each continuing to shine brightest for the Spartans.

Bell ended the regular season as the highest scorer in the Big Ten, with ten goals, five assists and 25 points total. The Maryland transfer highlights the strength of MSU’s recruiting, with the players new to the team bringing quality that fit right in with the returners. 

Ranked at No. 12 in the preseason polls, the Spartans can feel accomplished to have clawed their way back up to No. 13 after being unranked due to a few unfavorable results. Not only have they nearly met expectations already, but there is still room to go beyond them in the post-season. 

Finishing second could be both a disappointment and a point of pride for head coach Jeff Hosler and his team. Although the Spartans climbed back up from fourth last season with one point making the difference, the back-to-back victories of 2022 and 2023 will still remain as the Michigan State standard in Hosler’s tenure. 

The fact that the Spartans did not come away with the title, given their results and key statistics, will disappoint the team and fans alike. Metrics such as their conference-best goal difference — plus-24, seven goals clear of the next highest — usually signal a highly successful season. They even earned more points than ever before under head coach Jeff Hosler, but because of the Big Ten’s evolving structure, it still wasn’t enough. Ultimately, nothing counts except wins and losses, and MSU showed how just a few moments and results can define a season — a message that will echo loudly in the minds of every team heading into the knockout stage.

MSU looks to be the strongest team heading into the post-season, with a three game win streak. Not a single other team will head into the tournament with more than one consecutive win. This could benefit the Spartans as they carry momentum especially after Oregon, who finished at the bottom of the table, beat Washington at the top by a score of 2-1. 

Another positive for the Spartans will likely be their key players that are firing on all cylinders. The fluidity of the attack is a strong point for MSU, with each player attracting more and more attention from defenders allowing others to slip under the radar and make an impact. 

This postseason will show whether Hosler and his side can live up to the preseason hype. The Spartans will have that chance as they fight for the Big Ten trophy, traveling to West Lafayette, Indiana, to face the winner of Northwestern and Southern California. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.

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